THIS DATE MARKS THE CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF THE ANCIENT GODDESS, "TIAMAT", THE BABYLONIAN VERSION OF GODDESS AS THE GREAT MOTHER CREATRIX. SHE WAS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE ORIGINAL WATERY CHAOS OF THE UNIVERSE; SHE PERSONIFIED THE SALT WATER (OCEAN) AT THE BEGINNING OF TIME. SHE WAS THE "MOTHER OF ALL MOTHERS," BUT SHE WAS ALSO THE TEMPESTUOUS SEA FOR THERE WAS CHAOS AND TUMULT IN HER SOUL.

THE GODDESS "TIAMAT", ALONG WITH THE GOD "APSU ( IS REPRESENTED IN THE EPIC OF "MARDUK" AS EXISTING FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME. THE TWO DEITIES ARE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL, ONE BEING THE MALE, THE OTHER THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE. BOTH PERSONIFY PRIMAEVAL CHAOS. AND IT WAS FROM THESE THAT CAME ORIGINALLY THE GODS.

"AND THE PRIMEVAL APSU, WHO BEGAT THEM,'AND MUMMU'-TIAMAT, THE MOTHER OF THEM ALL,"

THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY OTHER GENERATIONS OF GODS, WHOM THEY SOUGHT TO DESTROY. THIS RESULTED IN THE FIGHT OF "MARDUK "WITH THE PRIMEVAL GODDESS "TIAMAT." IN THIS BATTLE "MARDUK" IS THE CHAMPION AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OTHER GODS. HE SLAYS HER AND SPLITS HER IN HALVES LIKE A FISH, HALF OF WHICH HE USES TO MAKE A FIRMAMENT TO KEEP BACK THE CELESTIAL WATERS, AND THE OTHER HALF THE EARTH TO HOLD BACK THE SUBTERRANEAN WATERS.

THE ESSENCE OF THIS STORY IS THE VIOLENT CONFLICT BETWEEN THE OLDER MYTHOLOGIES OF THE MOTHER GODDESS, "TIAMAT," REPRESENTING PREHISTORY FERTILITY WORSHIP OF GODS AND GODDESS AND THE NEW MYTHS OF THE FATHER GODS, STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY BETWEEN THE TWO WITH THE EVENTUAL BIRTH OF PATRIARCHY.